View Full Version : The Grace Of God
Down and Welded
11th Jul 2005, 04:57
Flew KUL-PER recently on the MH125. During the captain's greeting after take-off he stated that we would be at the gate in Perth on time "insha' allah" . I found myself reacting with mild concern to this as, with great respect to this worthy individual for being both a B777 captain and a Muslim, I felt that I would prefer to think that we would arrive safely at the end of our journey courtesy of the crews' professionalism, in which most pax had no doubt invested their confidence, rather than the 'grace of God'. Is it entirely professional for airline flight crew to inform pax that they will arrive safely if God permits it (carrier from Islamic country notwithstanding)? This was stated in both Bahasa as well as English.
Wonder what others think...
Globaliser
11th Jul 2005, 12:19
Down and Welded: Is it entirely professional for airline flight crew to inform pax that they will arrive safely if God permits it (carrier from Islamic country notwithstanding)? This was stated in both Bahasa as well as English.
Wonder what others think... FWIW, I'd have no problem with this. As I understand it, dropping in the phrase "insh'allah" is more a figure of speech than anything intended to be consciously conveyed. The nearest English-language equivalent is probably the unconscious but frequent Irish usage of "please God". Neither probably means any more than another English speaker saying "all being well".
Tolsti
11th Jul 2005, 14:15
I remember being a bit worried when flying on PIA from Lahore to Islamabad..... they play a prayer over the PA..... fine and good by me..... but BEFORE takeoff???, that and curry for b'fast made for a memorable few trips!
Final 3 Greens
11th Jul 2005, 16:22
Personally, I quite like it.
It's standard practice on airlines from islamic ountires and I find it quite charming and inoffensive.
No problems with "insh'allah" or the travelers prayer in Arabic, but i really get confused when they use the English version!
Mutt.
Avman
11th Jul 2005, 18:04
Not particularly religious myself. Nevertheless, when it really comes down to it, it is in the hands of God, or Allah, or whoever, or whatever you believe controls your destiny.
PAXboy
11th Jul 2005, 20:28
Now, I know we have kicked this one around in here before, so I shall be brief ... But Avman if one does not believe in a god/deity/external force that directs our lives, then one might well believe in the skill of the pilots.
However, if the pilots, even through use of a simple repetitive cultural idiom acknowledge something other than their own skill, then they are (in my ears) undermining that skill and knowledge. Whilst I turn a blind ear to all of these phrases that I hear almost any day of the week, this thread does tell me not to take a flight on an Islamic owned carrier. Not for any other reason than that I do not wish to hear this kind of thing - from any religion.
Perhaps the flight crew, on the way out to take off, could invite us to sing "We'll all go together" ... :E I'll now deselect tongue from cheek.
--------------------
"I tell you, we are here on Earth to fart around, and don't let anybody tell you any different." Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
Even with all of their skill and knowledge, nothing guarantees your safe arrival….
Guess its time for you to give up flying. :):)
Mutt.
chippy63
12th Jul 2005, 11:02
We need all the help we can get these days!!
PAXboy
12th Jul 2005, 13:20
Guess its time for you to give up flying. Sure, I recognise that pure luck is part of our everyday lives. One has only to read about a person who, on Thursday last week, was diverted because of the tube bombs and then got on a bus. But he got on the wrong bus, in every sense of the word...
However, as card carrying atheist, I would rather not hear people praying. I avoid it in all possible aspects of my life and will avoid it when I am paying to be transported around this wonderful world that evolved from the big bang of space. :cool:
Final 3 Greens
13th Jul 2005, 07:35
However, as card carrying atheist, I would rather not hear people praying That rules out travel to the Middle East then, unless you have ear defenders for the call to prayer ;)
PAXboy
13th Jul 2005, 15:25
Yep! But the way I look at it is - it reduces the list of places that I can/want to visit and so makes the choice easier! For example, I am allergic to curry spice, so I do not expect to be visiting the sub-continent.:p
Tolsti
13th Jul 2005, 15:35
Those allergies must render a lot of the UK out of bounds then!!!:=
"curry spice"?
You can get some great hot Asian food using a wide variety of spices - you can't be allergic to them all! Come about 80 miles north, we have FANTASTIC curries in Leicester ;)
davethelimey
13th Jul 2005, 21:23
If you really want to know the opinions of Ppruner's on insh 'Allah, see here insh 'allah or whatever (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?threadid=124952&highlight=insh+allah).
Otherwise, it's safe to assume that whatever the religious beliefs of the pilots, their professionalism will be identical to that of Christian BA pilots in the UK who pray (albeit privately) before a day's work.